Biology

Physiology

Unlike its pre-evolutions, it has wings that can allow it to fly. Charizard is a very dragon-like Pokémon. Like its previousforms, it is bipedal and has a long tail with a fire burning at the tip. It has extremely sharp claws at the end of three, distinct digits, a long neck, and two horns protruding from the back of its head. The front of its two wings is teal, while the back is orange like the most of its body. Although hardly visible, Charizard's iris is light blue in color. Its belly and the undersides of its feet are cream-colored.

Gender differences

In the main series games, there seem to be no changes in the gender of Charizard, however, in the anime Charla, a female Charizard, wears a bow.

Special abilities

As its pre-evolutions could, it can use a variety of Fire-type moves. Being the last evolution of a Fire-typestarter Pokémon, Charizard has the ability to learn Blast Burn. Its fire is incredibly hot, and described to be hot enough to melt boulders. Because of the wings it has grown upon evolution, Charizard can fly and can use many Flying-type abilities, and its wings are able to carry it close to an altitude of 4,600 feet.

Behavior

Generally, a Charizard will be competitive. It loves to battle, and spends a great amount of time training or looking for opponents. Its competitive spirit is also noteworthy, since it will never spit flames at a weaker foe unless provoked or commanded. When it gets very angered, the flames on its tail become a bluish-white color. It spits fire that is hot enough to melt boulders. It is known to have unintentionally caused massive forest fires with its flames. The more experienced a Charizard, the more intense its tail flame and breath are. Charizard has been depicted in Great Bowls of Fire! to repeatedly lick the people and Pokémon it is fond of, in a similar manner to a dog.

Habitat

Charizard are mercifully rare in the wild; however, a valley is located somewhere in Johto wherein many Charizard reside. Charizard also inhabit craggy mountains and active volcanoes. One is also most likely able to find them in Kanto.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

One of Blue's main Pokémon, Charizard first debuted as a Charmander. With its increased capacity for battle both with augmented strength and its flight ability, it proved to be a valuable asset for Blue, both during the Silph Co. battles and in the Pokémon League, where Red's Venusaur narrowly defeated it.

Ritchie's Charizard also appears in The Indigo Finals, battling against Ash's. In the Japanese version, Ritchie's Charizard retains its nickname of Zippo, however, it is renamed to Charley in the VIZ Media English translation.

As a Charmander, it was able to evolve directly into Charizard, apparently skipping the Charmeleon stage. It has reverted to the Charmander stage, although it has since evolved back into Charizard permanently.

In the TCG

Charizard's first-released TCG card, which as part of the Base Set, was widely regarded at the height of popularity of Pokémon as the best card ever. This was because of its powerful attack, Fire Spin, and useful Pokémon Power, Energy Burn, which allowed it to convert any Energy attached to it to Fire Energy. Fire Spin needed four Fire Energy and could deal 100 damage, knocking out the majority of Pokémon cards. In addition, it had the highest HP then, at 120. Individual Charizard cards were sold up to as much as $150. This Charizard card was reprinted in Wizards of the Coast's Base Set 2 and Legendary Collection sets, and released again with updated artwork in the Stormfront expansion.

Other appearances

Charizard makes an appearance as a Pokémon released randomly from a Poké Ball in Super Smash Bros. and Super Smash Bros. Melee. When summoned, Charizard will utilize Flamethrower alternating between the left and right. In Melee, the flames have more of a downward angle.

Melee trophy information

It's hard to believe, but this massive Flame Pokémon evolves from the tiny Charmander. Not only can it fly at heights of over 4,500 feet, but its flaming breath is hot enough to reduce almost anything to ashes in seconds. The flames at the end of a Charizard's tail are said to be a fairly accurate barometer of its power.

Brawl trophy information

"A Flame Pokémon. Its fiery breath is hot enough to burn up rocks, and its wings let it fly up to 4,600 feet into the air. It's a proud Pokémon that will never use its flame breath on an opponent weaker than itself. The flame on its tail is a barometer of how much vitality it has remaining. Its signature move, Flamethrower, is a reliable technique."

Charizard holds the distinction of being the first Pokémon to appear in the Japanese version of the Pokémon anime; it is the first one to appear in the original opening credits. However, outside of Japan, this honor belongs to Mewtwo.

Charizard is the first Pokémon in National Pokédex order to gain a type upon evolution.

Charizard was unable to learn Fly through HM02 in Red and Blue. This was changed starting with Yellow, making it possible to still get a Charizard with Fly in the original games by trading one from a later version.

Charizard was voted as the favorite Pokémon by Official Nintendo Magazine readers in February 2012 as well as the number one Pokémon in IGN's "Top 100 Pokemon" list in late 2011.

Origin

Charizard resembles the European dragon, certainly one of many forms told and rendered in legends. Charizard's prominence as a dragon without being of the Dragon type is further reinforced in the video game Pokémon Ranger, where one makes a cameo as one of four prominently featured patron elemental dragon Pokémon. The other three Pokémon sharing this distinguishing trait are legitimate Dragon-type Pokémon: Salamence, Kingdra, and Flygon. The patronage of these four dragons is inspired from the four classical elements: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire, with Charizard being the representative of Fire. It shares some evolutionary traits with Charmeleon in its distinctive horns; also a distinct trait in some dragons.

Name origin

Charizard is a portmanteau of the words char (to burn) and lizard.

Lizardon is a combination of lizard and either dragon or don (Ancient Greek for tooth, commonly used in dinosaur names).